Gold Beach school district hires Johnson

GOLD BEACH — Dennis Johnson has been selected as the new superintendant of the Central Curry School District.

Johnson, who hails from New York state, will also serve as Gold Beach High School principal. Johnson accepted a two year salary package of $104,000 per year starting July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2015.

Johnson will replace former Superintendent Jeff Davis, who has since departed the CCSD for a position in Washington state.

School Board Chairman Greg Marstall announced the appointment Thursday during a 13-minute meeting in the Gold Beach High School library.

“This is probably going to be a record for the shortest meeting we’ve have ever had,” Marstall said, “but it is important.”

After Marstall’s opening comments in which he outlined the board’s five-month-long search for a suitable candidate, conducted in conjunction with a blue ribbon panel, he informed the small audience that the board had unanimously decided to hire Johnson. According to Marstall, “The negotiations between the district and Mr. Johnson went well.” Johnson will earn $17,000 less than his predecessor. Davis’ salary included an $8,000 stipend for his work toward his doctorate degree. In addition, “Jeff really did three different jobs for the district: superintendent, principal, and he also headed up Special Education for us as well,” Marstall said.

“The ESD will head up Special Education for us now — Johnson won’t be doing that.”

Johnson comes from a school district of 1,500 students and has been a superintendent for three different school systems in the New York state — Holland, Franklinville, and Lake Placid over several years according to Marstall.

As the new superintendent, Johnson will have some tough challenges right out of the gate. Gold Beach High will be implementing a new “block scheduling” format at the beginning of the school year in September. He will also be thrown right into contract negotiations for both certified and classified school district employees.